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An Irish Country Christmas (Irish Country Books) | 
 enlarge | Author: Patrick Taylor
Publisher: Forge Books
Category: Book
List Price: $24.95
Buy New: $14.63
You Save: $10.32 (41%)
New (43) Used (15) from $14.42
Rating:  41 reviews
Media: Hardcover
Pages: 496
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.5
Dimensions (in): 9.3 x 6 x 1.7
ISBN: 0765320703
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.54
EAN: 9780765320704
Publication Date: October 28, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: Brand New, Perfect Condition, Please allow 4-14 business days for delivery. 100% Money Back Guarantee, Over 1,000,000 customers served.
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Product Description
Barry Laverty, M.B., is looking forward to his first Christmas in the cozy village of Ballybucklebo, at least until he learns that his sweetheart, Patricia, might not be coming home for the holidays. That unhappy prospect dampens his spirits somewhat, but Barry has little time to dwell on his romantic disappointments. Christmas may be drawing nigh, but there is little peace to be found on earth, especially for a young doctor plying his trade in the emerald hills and glens of rural Ireland.
Along with his senior partner, Doctor Fingal Flahertie O’Reilly, Barry has his hands full dealing with seasonal coughs and colds, as well as the occasional medical emergency. To add to the doctors’ worries, competition arrives in the form of a patient-poaching new physician whose quackery threatens the health and well-being of the good people of Ballybucklebo. Can one territory support three hungry doctors? Barry has his doubts.
But the wintry days and nights are not without a few tidings of comfort and joy. Between their hectic medical practice, Rugby Club parties, and the kiddies’ Christmas Pageant, the two doctors still find time to play Santa Claus to a struggling single mother with a sick child and not enough money in the bank. Snow is rare in Ulster, and so are miracles, but that doesn’t mean they never happen. . . .
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| Customer Reviews: Read 36 more reviews...
HEART WARMING CHRISTMAS STORY Audio Unabridged 13cds December 23, 2008
Barbara Lane (Sydney Australia)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
AN IRISH COUNTRY CHRISTMAS is a story of Dr. Fingal O'Reilly, M.D., Irish GP, village Santa Claus and the people of the North Irish village of Ballybucklebo. With him are his assistant doctor, Barry Laverty and his house keeper, Kinky. The reader follows the doctors on house calls, office visits and on their errands, both medical and otherwise. Throw in Dr.Fitzgerald, a new quack who threatens their practice and livelihood. A sweetheart for each one and you have the makings of an incredible story. Dr. O'Reilly who vowed not to fall in love again, has started to reconcile his affection for Kitty from his student days 20 years earlier. The story is chock full of humorous episodes, an array of odd village ailments and romantic troubles. Santa Claus appears at the christmas village get together and the children and so thrilled that each one is remembered.
I kept on thinking about it after it was finished. 13 cds long and I wanted it to continue.
 Old fashioned fun December 22, 2008
Tony G (Steele Alabama US)
Third in a series I hope that lasts a long time. The stories and characters are alive and you get a glimpse of life in Northern Ireland in the 60's. This is not cerebral or challenging: this is a peaceful, funny and educational read. I only hope there are more to come.
The author combines two or three stories and brings all of them together, like a magician.
Nice addition to the series... December 15, 2008
Tracy L. (USA)
I've been a fan of this series since the first book in the series AN IRISH COUNTRY DOCTOR was released, and was happy to see this one released so soon after AN IRISH COUNTRY VILLAGE.
Because I'm a fan, I enjoyed the book quite a lot. However, I can easily understand why someone reading this as a stand-alone book might be a little disappointed.
Author Patrick Taylor does a great job bringing the charming village of Ballybucklebo to life. The wonderful, eccentric characters that fill this story make me wish such a place really existed. Those two things alone are enough for me. However, it's probably not enough for a new reader to the series. The story itself is a bit thin in actual "plot", and could have been edited down by about 50 pages or so. I'll admit that almost 500 pages is a lot to read with such a small, predictable (albeit very sweet) payoff.
If you're a current fan of the series, I'm sure you'll enjoy this book a great deal. New readers, please read the other two books as well. It may make this one more enjoyable.
The quaintest Christmas you'll ever have, Ulster style December 13, 2008
Schtinky (California)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
The year is 1964. The village is Ballybucklebo in Ulster, Ireland. It's winter, and Christmas is fast approaching. Dr. Barry Laverty is assistant to the infamous Dr. Fingal Flahertie O'Reilly, whose florid nose turns alabaster when he's angered. Barry lives in a little upstairs room at Number One Main Street with Fingal, his efficient and fuss-pot housekeeper Mrs. Kinky Kincaid, a white cat named Lady Macbeth, and a daft black Labrador named Arthur Guiness. Barry's mind is fully occupied these days not only by keeping busy in the surgery (meaning the doctor's office) but also with whether or not his beautiful young girlfriend Patricia Spence will make it home from college for the holidays.
Dr. O'Reilly is busy with surgery, and the unfortunate task of fixing some mistakes made by a new doctor in The Kinnegar name Dr. Ronald Hercules Fitzpatrick. Dr. Fitzpatrick starts out on the wrong foot by attempting to bypass Kinky's stolid stance against visitors to "Himself" when O'Reilly is up with a cough. He makes matters worse by dispensing ridiculous home remedies such as primrose roots and goat's milk whey shoved up the nose for infection, and gunpowder in a young man's tea for infertility. Dr. O'Reilly has also been setting aside treasured memories of his long-dead wife Deidre in favor of a certain Ms. Kitty O'Halloran, who herself has taken up visiting the doctor on more frequent social calls.
Occupying both doctors' time, other than treating patients in surgery and on-call, is the upcoming Christmas pageant, a Rugby game, the Rugby Club's first annual raffle event (dreamed up by Fingal to see to it that young, single, working mother Eileen has Christmas for her three young children), Christmas Eve, and the Marquis' party on Christmas Day.
'An Irish Country Christmas' is the third book in Patrick Taylor's 'Irish Country' series, but the first book of his that I've read. Immediately upon finishing, I ordered 'An Irish Country Doctor' and 'An Irish Country Village', the first two books in the series. It seems I can't get enough of the wonderful characters Mr. Taylor has created. The story isn't about any particular event other than culminating with Christmas Day, but about the everyday lives and events that surround those who reside in Number One Main Street. You can feel the small town atmosphere (and long for it's peacefulness), feel the gentler time of 1964, and respond to the fully fleshed-out characters. The enjoyment is in all the little details and the personalities of all involved. There's more to being a country doctor than dispensing medicine; there's advice in the form of finding a sitter for Eileen's little Sammy so Eileen can resume work, resolving a Christmas fund problem at Sammy's house, seeing a young boy in surgery (the office) about not wanting to go to school because he wasn't picked as Joseph for the Christmas Play, and watching old spinster Alice Moloney blossom as she tells the tale of being a vibrant young woman in India.
The book uses country brogue language, most of which is easy to understand. (such as "pew" for chair, and "briar" for pipe). The book is 471 pages, with an Afterward by Mrs. Kinky Kincaid including some Christmas recipes, an Author's Note, and a full Glossary of terms for any who have trouble with the language. This is truly one of the most "quaint" stories I've read, and while not fast-paced still conjures an "I can't put it down" interest in the reader. I highly recommend this book. Enjoy!
A Book to Relish! December 6, 2008
James Gallen (St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.A.)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
"An Irish Country Christmas" is another in Patrick Taylor's series of the adventures of Dr. Fingal O'Reilly, M.D., Irish GP, village Santa Claus and all round eminent person of Ballybucklebo. With him are his assistant doctor, Barry Laverty, his house keeper, Kinky and other good citizens of Balybucklebo. On these pages the reader follows the doctors on house calls, office visits and on their errands, both medical and otherwise. Throw in a protagonist, Dr.Fitzgerald, a new quack who threatens their practice and livelihood, and a sweetheart for each one and you have the makings for a real page turner. Dr. O'Reilly has to reconcile his affection for Kitty with the memory of his wife, Deidre, killed in an air raid twenty years before. Dr. Laverty is experiencing the jitters of an uncertain first time venturer in Cupid's realm. I better not give away any more.
This book is a delightful, light read. Chapter by chapter, the reader follows the characters through their entertaining and wholesome daily lives. As readers of my reviews can detect, I tend toward history and biography, generally heavier reading than this book. I enjoyed it thoroughly and, toward the end, had trouble putting it down. Whether you like light reading or are just looking for a lighthearted break, you will relish "An Irish Country Christmas."
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